Writing the
Critical Lens Essay
New York State English
Regents Exam:
Session II, Part B (Task 4)
Your Critical Lens:
“The real hero is always a
hero by mistake…”
--Umberto Eco
Travels in Hyperreality, 1986
Critical Lens—Your Guidelines
Provide a valid interpretation of the quote
 Clearly establish criteria for analysis
 Indicate whether you agree or disagree
 Choose two works to support your opinion
 AVOID PLOT SUMMARY
 Use specific and appropriate literary
elements for analysis
 Organize your ideas clearly
 Specify titles, authors and details
 Follow the conventions of English

Introduction
Introduce and state the quote
 Interpret the quote fully and in your own
words—what does this quote mean?
 Show agreement or disagreement (no
need to use the word I…avoid all personal
pronouns)
 State thesis or stance (you will use all
support to prove this statement)

Introduction (actual)
Umberto Eco once said, “The real hero is
always a hero by mistake.” This means that
sometimes people or characters are faced with
tough choices that are unexpected. In these times
of tough choices, heroes can arise. This quote is
shown to be true through the books Of Mice and
Men by John Steinbeck and The Crucible by Arthur
Miller. In these two books, characters are forced
into difficult situations where they ultimately make a
“heroic” choice.
Body Paragraphs
Include a topic sentence to introduce the
text and author
 Transition and include your literary
element (may be multiple sentences)
 Connect back to the lens (may be multiple
sentences)
 Concluding sentence.

Body Paragraph 1 (actual)
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George is one
character who is forced to make a very difficult decision. One
literary element that helps support this is the theme of
friendship. George and Lennie are very good friends but
when Lennie unintentionally kills Curley’s wife all the men
from the ranch are out for revenge. When George catches up
with Lennie, his friendship is put to the test as he is faced with
an impossible decision. George acts in Lennie’s best interest
by making sure that Lennie’s last words are uplifting and
optimistic. George decides that as Lennie’s friend, it is best
for him to end Lennie’s life rather than leave him to face the
mob. George proves to be Lennie’s “hero” by sparing him the
unnecessary guilt and pain. Of Mice and Men gives an
excellent example of how heroes can emerge from
unexpected and even unpleasant situations.
Body Paragraph 2 (actual)
Another great example of a “mistaken” hero is John Proctor
from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In this play, John Proctor is a
simple man who is characterized by Miller to be honest,
trustworthy, and hardworking. These qualities prove him to be
heroic in a time of madness and injustice. Proctor becomes a
spokesperson for the average citizen in a Puritan world where
accusations lead to prosecution and death. When John Proctor
sacrifices his good name in order to help his wife escape
lynching, he is seen as heroic. Other members of the
community idolize his selflessness and realize that through this
difficult time, Proctor rose to face the unfairness without fear.
Arthur Miller created a true hero when he created the character
of John Proctor. Although Proctor did not succeed with his
goals, he still achieved greatness by simply trying to stand up
for what he believed.
Conclusion
Re-state an interpretation of the quote
 Show agreement
 Briefly review main points made
 Tie main ideas back to the lens and your
thesis

Conclusion (actual)
Heroes truly come from accidental situations where
characters have been able to rise to an unfortunate
occasion. In unpredictable times, both George from Of
Mice and Men and John Proctor from The Crucible were
able to do what was right despite a devastating
circumstance. By doing the right thing even when it was
difficult, both characters were able to become heroes in
one way or another. This proves that true heroes can
make difficult choices and rise up even when they don’t
necessarily mean to.
Final Step
Review your work!
 Use the guidelines provided to make sure
your response completely answers the
question.
 Re-read for spelling or grammatical errors
 Neatly cross-out and revise any mistakes
